Destination Kāwaroa, led by Taranaki Foundation with Ngāmotu, Ngāti Te Whiti, NPDC and NP Partners, transformed Kāwaroa Park into an intergenerational play and learning space celebrating the area’s nature, culture and stories. Featuring sensory play, water and hill elements, accessible facilities, and learning linked to NZ curricula, it has become a thriving, free hub for connection, recreation and cultural engagement, attracting up to 2,000 daily visitors since August 2025.

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Excellence in Organisation and People Development

Reimaginging Work

Whakatāne District Council

Whakatāne District Council has reimagined work. What began as a building refurbishment in response to required earthquake strengthening work resulted in a seismic shift in how we work. We realised

Award Year: 2024

Excellence in Collaborating for Results

Stronger Together Councils’ buy-out puts people at heart

Hastings District Council

Helping flood-devastated homeowners get their lives back on track following Cyclone Gabrielle drove the Hastings and Napier Voluntary Buy-out Programme, a pioneering model for disaster recovery in New Zealand. The

Award Year: 2025

Excellence in Community Engagement

Amberley Beach Coastal Adaptation Project

Hurunui District Council

The Hurunui District Council Coastal Conversations Project focuses on 6 small beach communities and how each community in the District will take control of their future and how, as a